Game.



P. E. CAPLETTE, In.

GAME.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-31. 1915.

Patented May 30, 1916.

PETER E. OAZPLETTEJR OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

GAME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 30, 1916.

Application filed August 31, 1915. SeriaI No. 48,304. v

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PETER E. CAPLETTE, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at New Haven, in the county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Games; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the 1nvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in games particularly of that type embodying an apparatus for catchlng a thrown ball and for projecting it again.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a game which shall combine the necessity for physical effort and for the exercise of skill in such proportion as to provide a pleasing and beneficial diversion.

It is further an object to provide such a device wherein that feature requiring the exercise of skill is adjustable so as to adapt the device for persons having various degrees of skill and so as to conform to the acquisition of skill by persons uslng the device.

It is still further an object to provide such a device which may be readily and cheaply manufactured.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention resides more particularly in the novel combination, formation and arrangement of parts as more fully described hereinafter and pointed out in the appended claims.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, wherein similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which;

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the mproved device, showing one of the reduction rings in place over the mouth of the rece1v ing pocket for the ball. Fig. 2 1s a top plan view of the device. Fig 3 is a sectional view taken through the device on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of one of said rings.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the improved toy device comprises a bat member 5 which 1s substantially the shape of a tennis bat or racket, and which may, if desired, be of that general design although in the drawings 1t is shown simply as a flat board having a reduced handle 6 at one end. Provided on the back of the bat at its outer end is a ball receiving pocket 7 having its mouth open in a plane at right angles to the plane of the bat. This pocket is formed of a suitable fabric bag having secured to its mouth a metal band 8, the ends of which are secured together by the screws 9 passed therethrough and securing the band to the bat. The bottom portion of the bag is secured at 10 to the back of the bat.

To provide a means for reducing the mouth of the pocket so that a greater degree of skill is necessary to catch a ball therein, an annular plate 11 is provided having its inner periphery of lesser diameter than the diameter of the mouth of the pocket and this ring is adapted to be secured in place over the mouth of the pocket by a tab 12 formed on its outer periphery and bent laterally and inwardly to detachably engage in a slot 13 provided in the outer portion of the band, this tab forming substantially a hook. At a diametrically opposed position on the plate there is provided an eye 14 which receives a turn button 15 carried by the outer end edge of the bat. A plurality of these plates having various diameters of their inner peripheries may be provided to adapt the game for persons having various degrees of skill, and should two persons playing this game desire to compete, the relative means for scoring is had by provid ing the annular plates each with a symbol 16 indicating the score value of aball caught through said plate. As these plates are all similar with the exception, in general design, only one is shown and originally described.

The game may be either played by one person batting the ball up in the air and catching it or it may be played by a plurality of persons batting the ball to each other.

While I have illustrated and described a particular embodiment of my invention, I have merely done so for the sake of convenience and I do not wish to be limited to that particular embodiment as it is obvious that numerous changes may be made within the details of construction thereof without in any way departing from the spirit of the in vention as claimed.

What I claim is:

1. A game apparatus comprising a bat, a

ball receiving pocket carried by the bat,

with its opening in a plane at right angles to the plane thereof, and a plate detachably associated With the month of the pocket for redncing the opening through which the ball may pass.

- 2. A game apparatus comprising a bat, a 5. band secured to the hat and extending l'att V erally therefromat its end, a pocket carried by the band, s aidbandb'eing provided iii its outer portion with a slot, an annular-reducing plate, a hook member on said plate copies h epatem; may He obtaine for enga eable in the slot and means for secur- 10 ing t e opposite portion of the plate to the end of the bat;

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signain'e, in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

PETER E. OAPLETTE, JR. itneesz ARTHUR R; SANDQUIST, HAROLD A. RosENLUND.

five e cents, each; by iiddissing the Gominissioner bf Patents. Washington; 1i. 0:" 

